Melania Trump takes custody of White House Christmas tree

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Melania Trump has continued the time-honored, first lady tradition of receiving the official White House Christmas tree.

Mrs. Trump on Monday accepted a 19-and-a-half-foot Balsam fir from Wisconsin that White House officials picked out in September. Jim and Diane Chapman, owners of a Wisconsin Christmas tree farm, won an annual contest by the National Christmas Tree Association and got to present the tree.

A quartet played holiday tunes as the horse-drawn wagon bearing the tree pulled up the White House driveway.

After the first lady and son Barron gave their symbolic approval, the tree was to be taken to the Blue Room, where it will become the holiday showpiece for a president who has vowed to put Christmas back in the center of the winter holidays.